Christopher Vella, Dr. Janet Obeney-Williams, Juan Carlos Cruz, Rev. James Martin, SJ
ROME—While LGBTQ+ issues are off the the Synod General Assembly’s agenda this month, that has not stopped discussions of these topics around the Vatican. Today’s post features a few news items and commentaries from this week.
Outreach Hosts Panel to Highlight LGB Catholics’ Stories
Outreach, a Jesuit-sponsored LGBTQ ministry, and America Media co-hosted the event, titled “What is the experience of LGBTQ Catholics?”, on Tuesday near the Vatican. The 40 or so attendees included Synod delegates and participants, as well as a panel of 5 lesbian, gay, or bisexual Catholics.
The panelists were Christopher Vella of Malta, head of the Maltese group Drachma and co-chair of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics; Joanita Warry Ssenfuka, head of Freedom and Roam Uganda; Janet Obeney-Williams, a lesbian doctor from England; Dumisani Dube, a leader of a parish LGBTQ+ ministry in South Africa; and Juan Carlos Cruz, a gay man who is close friends with Pope Francis and a survivor of clergy sexual abuse. According to Outreach:
“‘We belong,’ Joanita Warry Ssenfuka. . .said when asked what message she wanted delegates to hear. Ms. Ssenfuka said that the message of Jesus was one of love and urged church leaders to see LGBTQ Catholics as human beings rather than as the summation of their sins.
“Another panelist, Janet Obeney-Williams. . .said that she joined the Catholic Church as an adult after being raised Anglican because of welcoming comments from Pope Francis toward the broader LGBTQ community. . .’Let us join, so that we can serve,’ Dr. Obeney-Williams told the assembly, reflecting on the various ways she and other LGBTQ Catholics are active in their parishes. . .
“‘Get to know the real people behind the “mask” who are trying to live a Catholic life,” [Christopher Vella] said, referring to the way some church leaders caricature LGBTQ people. ‘Let’s allow love to be expressed.’ . . .
“‘I’ve learned that faith and identity are not mutually exclusive, and that God’s love is wide enough to encompass every part of me,’ Mr. Dube said. ‘For anyone facing the same struggles, know that you are not alone, and that both your faith and your identity are sacred.’”
The panel was moderated by Fr. James Martin, SJ, who is a delegate at the Synod assembly. Two other delegates had roles: Hong Kong’s Cardinal Stephen Chow, SJ, and Julia Oseka, a North American representative, who respectively opened and closed the event with prayer.
Also in attendance were representatives from New Ways Ministry and DignityUSA, a national Catholic LGBTQ+ organization. During the discussion period, Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA and the mother of a transgender son, raised the issue of listening to transgender voices, which were not present on the panel. To provide that perspective, she shared her Catholic family’s experience and encouraged deepened listening to the trans community more broadly.
Michael O’Loughlin, executive director of Outreach, wrote about the event in the context of his own career covering Synods. He concluded in the America essay:
“The panelists offered thoughtful, kind and occasionally challenging answers to the questions, but they each approached the dialogue in a spirit of charity and goodwill. Their perspectives were each unique; the challenges facing a gay man in Zimbabwe are certainly different than those facing a lesbian physician in London. But by offering anecdotes from their lives, by explaining why they remain committed to the church, the panelists provided a genuine encounter with other Catholics, including some who may not have heard such stories before.”
More Perspectives on the Synod
While news has been slow about the Synod assembly, commentators from both inside and outside of the Synod Hall are still publishing.
Michael Sean Winters of the National Catholic Reporter suggested that rather than the dull event many expected, it would be quite exciting. He writes, in part:
“Why does everyone think it will be a yawn? Because the ‘hot-button’ issues, the stuff that makes for headlines, are now being studied by 10 working groups the pope established, and they are working independently of the synodal process.
“For those who are as interested in ecclesiology as in ethics, the synod will not be a yawn. It will be a further step in the process of receiving the teachings of the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council.”
One delegate, theologian Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ, also expressed optimism in America. He argues that “the value of a synod does not lie in its capacity for solving problems,” but for deepening “the foundational practices of building a synodal church—listening, dialogue and discernment under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Orobator continues:
“Overcoming, for example, the deep-seated pathologies of clericalism, sexual abuse and patriarchy in the church requires strategies and processes extending well beyond a synodal assembly. The synod offers an opportunity to experiment with ways of dealing with issues over which differences and disagreements exist. It is a way of being church, of living and working as the people of God.
“Synodality creates an inclusive space for all baptized Christians to feel welcomed, valued and respected. Regardless of their status, position or identity, all are part of the church’s communion, and their baptismal dignity affirms their equal right to participate and contribute to the church’s mission.
“The path ahead will be challenging. A synod is a journey whose path is constructed by the people of God walking together under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This particular synod is a pivotal moment on that journey.”
Live from Rome! A Mid-Synod Conversation: Join New Ways Ministry next Monday, October 14, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time for a virtual conversation at the Synod assembly’s halfway point to learn about and reflect on what is happening at 2024 Synod assembly this month—and to discern where we go from here. Associate Director Robert Shine, who will be in Rome all month, will be joined by Brian Flanagan, New Ways Ministry’s Senior Fellow and an expert on synodality. For more information or to register, click here.
—Robert Shine (he/him), New Ways Ministry, October 11, 2024
Related Articles
Reuters, “Pope Francis to open major Vatican summit, but hot issues on hold”
The New York Times, “Catholics Meet to Chart Path Forward, but Women’s Roles Remain Unclear“
